


all mine towers crumble down

by TrainRush



Series: Febuwhump 2021 [15]
Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Fluff, Gen, Gore, Online Party Mode, fun hat kid antics carefully crafted to be accurate to real online party mode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29458374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrainRush/pseuds/TrainRush
Summary: DAY 15: “run. don’t look back”the flowers gasping under rubbleshrieking in the hall of lull,thy genius saves a thirst for trouble—(or, alternatively, hat kid and a few of her friends pay snatcher a visit.)
Series: Febuwhump 2021 [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2105115
Comments: 10
Kudos: 25





	all mine towers crumble down

**Author's Note:**

> to preface why they’re so specific, the misc hat kids in the fic are named after my friends (who did in fact give me permission to do that)
> 
> lyrics in the title and description are from _the mind electric_ :)

With the simple press of a button, a dozen Kids had flooded Hat Kid’s spaceship all at once, materializing from seemingly nowhere and having arrived from every corner of the universe.

Recently, Hat Kid had discovered a mechanism built into her spaceship that she hadn’t realized was there before. A machine that could connect with Kids just like her from across the dimensions and sync her universe with theirs. It was a truly incredible piece of technology. Of course, Hat Kid knew she had to use it to its full potential. Like, for example, by playing tag with other Kids and messing around with the Mafia in Mafia Town. Only the most professional usage of such complex, high-quality technology.

Playing with the other versions of herself, Hat Kid discovered multiple things. For one, she could fully interact with the other Kids. She could hit them, boop them, and even pick them up if she wanted to. And of course, they could do the same to her. Secondly, the other Kids had full power over her universe. They could interact with everyone and everything as though they were truly there in her timeline. Those two factors combined together meant that the other Kids could easily get hurt in her universe, but Hat Kid didn’t stress over it. After all, their antics were just harmless fun.

And so Hat Kid sat on top of a bit of railing in her spaceship, watching chaos unfold in the main room. Below, several Kids were whacking each other with their umbrellas. Hat Kid watched, amused, as some Kids went as far as to chase each other through the rooms. Some used their hats to their advantage, the ice hat becoming especially useful with its ability to send shockwaves throughout the spaceship. Hat Kid struggled to keep her balance on the railing as the impact of the Kids hitting the ground shook her.

Eventually, while watching over the madness, Hat Kid was pushed into the center of the ring by another Kid hitting her off of her perch with their umbrella. She hit the ground with a thud and turned back around immediately to look at the culprit: a yellow and black dyed Kid who only giggled in response. Nervous to avoid conflict, Hat Kid fled the main room, entering through the first door that caught her eye.

Quickly, she realized that she had gone through the door that led to her bedroom. She smiled, enjoying the familiarity, before a stroke of genius overcame her and she grinned wide. Hat Kid retraced her steps, running back into the main room to announce her plan.

As soon as she stepped through the doors, Hat Kid called out with a grin. “Anyone wanna come to Subcon to say hi to Snatcher with me?”

The fighting in the center of the room stopped momentarily, a few Kids glancing at each other before some began to nod and vocalize their agreement. The excitement became contagious quickly, and soon enough, several Kids were making their way towards Hat Kid’s bedroom to use the telescope. Hat Kid smiled, bouncing in place. This was going to be  _ so  _ much fun.

As she joined the Kids crowding around the telescope, each disappearing one by one, she began plotting in her head what she would do once she got there. She could mount the mail scooter and toss mail at Snatcher! Or she could have all the Kids tackle them! Or maybe she could even confront them about that one storybook she’d gotten out of the purple time rift by the shattered hourglass. While Hat Kid waited for her turn, she began talking excitedly to the other Kids around her about what they could all do together. They all seemed to share her excitement.

Soon enough, Hat Kid was able to approach the telescope and use it to transport herself to Subcon. 

_ This is going to be a blast. _

—

As the last of the Kids dropped in, the group gathered at the edge of the forest. 

“Alright, what are we going to do first?” Hat Kid asked the group. She twirled her umbrella as she thought. “Well, obviously we’re going to mess with Snatcher, but how?”

“We could do a sneak attack!” one Kid from the crowd called out. A few others agreed with them, giggling mischievously at the thought of scaring the ghost. 

“Well,” Hat Kid interrupted, tapping a finger to her chin, “that wouldn’t exactly work. Snatcher has eyes everywhere! I wouldn’t be surprised if he already knows we’re here.”

The giggling died down quickly, murmurs of disappointed agreement taking place instead. 

Above the muttering Kids, another voice spoke up. “What if we raided Vanessa’s manor first? As a warmup?”

The group went silent as each Kid remembered the horrors they’d seen in that forsaken place. Silently, they seemed to agree that going back there wouldn’t be the best idea; nobody wanted to relive that trauma.

Suddenly, Hat Kid remembered her mail idea. “We could grab mail delivery scooters and throw letters at him!”

The Kids immediately perked back up at that idea, the excitement returning to their eyes as their imaginations ran wild with ideas again.

“Are there enough scooters for all of us?”

And the Kids were shut down again. Every idea they had come up with so far was fatally flawed. What  _ could  _ they do?

Maybe coming to Subcon with so many Kids was a bad idea.

“H-hey, cheer up!” Hat Kid said, attempting to lighten the mood. “We don’t  _ have  _ to have a plan. We can just… make things up as we go along!”

The faces of the Kids seemed to brighten again, eyes shining with rekindled happiness. Hopeful agreement spread quickly throughout the group, and a few Kids began to run in place, excited to sprint into the forest.

“What are we waiting for?” one Kid called out. The rest of the party cheered and chorused their agreement, some getting a head start by running ahead into the forest before the others. After the few went ahead, the rest of the group immediately followed behind, overcome by excitement. Hat Kid sprinted along with them, laughing as she went.

Adventuring really was a lot more fun with friends.

—

As the group ran deeper and deeper into the dark forest, they slowed down, eventually coming to a walk. Hat Kid chalked it up to the other Kids expending their energy too quickly, but in truth, she could tell there was fear mingling with their slow pace as well. Caution. Branches fallen from the trees of the forest cracked and snapped as the Kids stepped on them, with the sound of dead leaves loudly crunching under their boots mixing to form a discordant song that echoed endlessly through the dark forest. As they walked, Hat Kid could feel her confidence dampening as the anxiety of the Kids around her became contagious.

“We’re going in the right direction, right?” a Kid with a bow and a pink coat, who had previously introduced themself as Vivi, spoke up. Their words came as a whisper, just a little louder than the wind.

“I think so?” Hat Kid whispered back. “This is the way that I remember.” She paused, looking around. Their surroundings were dimly lit, shadowed, and bleak, but recognizable. “We’re on the right path.”

“I hope we get to the village soon,” a Kid wearing a red dress, Cube, spoke up. Their voice carried nervousness.

“I hope so too,” Hat Kid said, nodding solemnly. The group had been wandering for a while now. For almost too long.

“Do you think Snatcher will let us into his treehouse?” one Kid said. “I miss the light.”

Hat Kid turned to face them, recognizing them by their purple cloak as Galax. “He’ll have no choice.” She whipped out her umbrella, balancing the end on her finger before tucking it back away. The Kid smiled, pulling out their umbrella as well.

“Are we sure this is smart? Isn’t he a bad guy?” Hat Kid glanced at a Kid who trailed along the edge of the group. They almost blended in with their dark green clothes.

“C’mon, Ima, what’s the worst he could do?” Cube said, elbowing them in the side. “We’ll beat the peck out of him before he can even  _ touch _ any of us.”

“Are you  _ sure  _ we’re going the right way?” Vivi asked again.

Hat Kid nodded firmly. “Yes, I’m sure.” Even if they weren’t, they’d find their way eventually, right?

The group fell silent again, Hat Kid leading the way. As they walked, Hat Kid could feel the tension between them building, with each Kid becoming more and more anxious as their surroundings became darker and more tangled. The undergrowth almost seemed to claw at them as they walked by. Hat Kid sincerely hoped that they’d be on the main path soon, regretting not teleporting there upfront.

Then, from the back, a voice quietly echoed.

“Has anyone seen Ima?”

Hat Kid turned around, looking back at the group. Anxiously, she scanned the heads of the Kids crowded together, searching for green among the crowd—

“I’m right here.” 

Ima pushed themself out of the undergrowth, shaking themself from a branch caught on their leg. “I got caught.”

A collective sigh of relief passed over the group. Silently grateful that nothing bad had happened, they continued onwards. Eventually, as they walked, the sky above seemed to disappear. In its place was pure darkness, making it seem like the group had walked into the void itself. The trees crowded together, as though clinging onto each other for dear life. The Kids clung to each other as well, fearful of what lurked in the darkness.

Determinedly, Hat Kid pushed onward. They’d get there eventually.

—

And eventually, the trees began to separate. The sky lightened again, the undergrowth cowered away, and the path opened up once more. The Kids shoved their way past each other, each determined and relieved to have finally made it out of the darkness. Stumbling over one another, the Kids laughed and ran until at last, they broke free from the trees and fell onto the main path. Overcome by relief, the Kids cheered, hugging each other tightly. They hadn’t realized just how scary the forest was until then.

Hat Kid grinned. “Finally!” she cried. Breaking away from the group hug, she looked over the others. “What did I tell you, huh? You gotta trust me!”

“I’m sure there was an easier path to take, though,” Cube huffed, glaring at Hat Kid.

“Sure, maybe,” Hat Kid admitted, “but look! We’re here!” She gestured widely. “We all made it. All…” she began counting, only to stop. “...Four of us? I thought we had five.”

Before she could even process her thoughts, a chill went down Hat Kid’s spine. They had Cube, Ima, and Galax, but not…

“Vivi.” She looked around wildly. “Where’s Vivi?”

The group glanced around at each other, but the pink-clad Kid was nowhere to be found. 

“We need to go back,” Hat Kid spoke breathlessly. “Quickly. Come on.”

She led the way back into the thicket, running alongside the other Kids. Terrified, they each called out to their lost friend, their name echoing among the trees. Yet there was no response, no sound other than pitiful echoes and the crunching of leaves. Deeper and deeper into the forest, the Kids ran, being careful not to break too far apart from each other. 

“What if we get lost?” Galax had at one point asked, but no one answered. Finding their way back was not a priority. Not when their friend couldn’t find their own way back. If they were to get lost together, the Kids thought, then so be it.

Hat Kid had followed the group, frantically searching alongside them, until she noticed that Cube had stopped and frozen. They gaped silently, eyes wide in horror. Hat Kid followed their gaze—

Immediately, Hat Kid felt her heart stop. 

Slowly, she processed the scene before her eyes. In the center of a small clearing that the group had passed on their way out of the forest laid Vivi, dead. Their eyes — glazed over and unblinking — stared up at the sky. Their throat was completely slashed open so that almost nothing remained, forming a pool of deep scarlet blood around their head. The same deep scarlet stained their lips and flowed from their mouth. Then there were holes in their chest from where large claws had apparently sunken in, the blood from the puncture wounds contrasting sharply with the light pink of Vivi’s coat. 

And above all of it was Snatcher, watching with glowing golden eyes from the safety of a tree. In a blood-stained claw, they held a dimly flickering teal soul.

Apparently, the other Kids had seen it too, because Hat Kid felt a sudden tug on her cape followed by a sharp  _ “Run. Don’t look back.” _

And so she ran. She and the other Kids ran for their lives, wading frantically through the ocean of trees. 

This wasn’t supposed to happen. No, this  _ couldn’t have  _ happened.

Hat Kid’s cries were silent as she sprinted, the wind drying her tears.


End file.
